Oh, Rats!
by Spinner Dolphin
Summary: Um...This is VERY random. Too bad there's no weird genre, cause that's where this belongs. Anyway, one of Numair's experiments explodes sending DN into a strange world dominated by giant rats.
1. Rats!

HA! REWRITE!

WARNING: this story is EXTREMELY WEIRD! ... can you say RANDOM? I have a weird sense of humor...

Disclaimer: I don't own Tortall. I don't own Daine and Numair. I DO own the... Um... the giant mice people... right.

---

Numair cursed violently from the other room. Daine, who was talking to a bird, looked up, and grinned.

I'll talk to you later, Wing brother, she said

Your mate?

Yes, she chuckled, and trotted over to Numair's lab. She walked in to find his face blackened, and glaring at a small star-shaped plate in front of him. "Numair?" she asked, half laughing. He looked ridiculous.

"This - Mithros - cursed - spell - isn't - working," he seethed. She couldn't help it; she burst out laughing. He glared, but she just kept giggling, and, unable to stop, folded her arms around his neck to pacify him. He muttered, glared, then sighed and laid his head on her shoulder. "I hate you," he teased.

"Hate is such a _strong_ word," she said, still grinning.

Unfortunately, the spell was left unattended. There was a loud BANG and the room filled with green mist. When it cleared, Daine and Numair were nowhere to be found.

---

Or, rather, the _lab_ was nowhere to be found.

"Where are we?" Daine asked, arms still around his neck.

"Not a clue," he said, peering over her head.

Daine didn't see his face go white. She did, however, feel him go ridged, and heard his confused babbling of, "What...? Gods, damned... what on _Earth_? MITHROS MYNOSS AND SHAKITH!" He disentangled himself from her, and tugged on her arm.

"Numair, what...?" he spun her around, and she gasped.

It looked like a rat. Only it wasn't. Its face was long, but its ears were droopy, like a dog's, it had no tail, it walked on its hind legs and its eyes were human-like.

It was also _huge_.

Frantic, Daine called out to the creature, but got no answer. She called again and again, but heard only an odd, static like sound.

Numair knew immediately that his Gift would not even break the creature's skin.

Terrified, Daine and Numair made a run for it.

---

Lynoss, the owner of a pet store, walked through the forest, in search of cacoss birds to catch and sell at his shop. He hummed as he walked, occasionally pricking his ears forward to catch the sound of the tell-tale ca-CAW of the common bird.

He was very surprised when he saw the two humans sprinting away from him.

He smiled softly, and started to follow them. Lynoss had forgotten how cute humans were... they were so small, and fragile, and made excellent pets, once trained. They were intelligent creatures, and what struck people was that they walked on their hind legs, unlike any other species, except for their own.

Smiling, he captured the creatures in his jar and gazed at them. They shivered and clutched at each other, and he smiled. He always loved to watch the transformation of a shy and scared animal to a loving, trusting creature of captivity.

Cutting his walk short, he strode back into town.

---

Numair had never been so afraid in his life.

Neither had Daine.

They were in a glass container, carried by a giant rat-thing, and both thought that they were going to their doom.

Excuse me, Daine asked again, afraid and knowing it wasn't going to work. EXCUSE ME!

No response.

Numair tried to create a shattering spell. There was a PING sound, and his black Gift vanished. Daine gulped, and curled back into his arms, shivering... or was _he_ the one trembling? They realized at the same time that both of them were shaking beyond control.

"I'm sorry, Magelet," Numair murmured.

"Not your fault, Numair," Daine whispered.

They were silent.

---

Lynoss walked through the heart of the town, his glass container in his arms. The town was small enough so that he knew most people by name, but large enough so he didn't know _everyone_, and he was new here. Business was good.

He strode straight into his shop, and found a glass container for the humans. He carefully slipped a divider between the sides - he knew to separate males from females - and gently, quietly so not to scare them, opened the jar.

The two were clinging to each other, and he thought it a pity to separate them. Humans mated for life, he remembered, and it would be cruel to force them apart. So he took the divider away, and gently lifted both humans from the jar.

They squeaked and twisted, but never let go of each other. Smiling gently, he placed them in the display cage. "Hush, hush, little ones," he murmured, "I won't harm you. You're a lot safer here than you are in the wild."

---

Naturally, Daine and Numair couldn't understand a word coming from Lynoss' mouth, because, of course, humans and rats have different shaped mouths, thus making their language different.

They did realize, of course, that they were _not_ being gnawed on, or even hurt. Both glanced around, and realized that they were standing on wood chips.

"This is the same stuff Thom kept for his pet mouse..." Daine murmured.

"I shall never look at pet mice the same way again," Numair declared, "Daine, I believe the roles have been reversed... _we_ are the pets!"

Daine blinked.

"Goddess."

---

Lynoss gave the humans three days to adjust. They hardly left each other's arms, which he found sweet, but they didn't eat much food. He worried, but supposed that they were shocked too much, which he understood. Once they realized that he wouldn't hurt them, they would probably eat.

On the fourth day, he approached them, making sure to talk to them gently first. He slowly lifted the top of the container, and watched with some amusement as the female shot into the male's arms, and the male simultaneously grabbed the female to him, the force of their opposite movements making them slam into each other with an audible, even to Lynoss, _smack_ sound.

As gently as he could, he lifted them and held them in the palm of his hand. They shivered, and looked at him out of wide blue-gray and black eyes.

---

It had picked them up.

It had _picked_ them _up_.

The second it did, though, both had tried to communicate with it, and failed miserably. It was gentle, at least.

"'Least we know it won't kill us..." Daine murmured flatly to Numair, her voice muffled by his shirt, because he was holding her so tightly.

"Do we?" he asked, "that's speculation."

She looked up into his eyes. "I don't think it will," she mumbled.

"I suppose," Numair said uncertainly, "It wouldn't have spoken to us, before it... lifted us..." Numair didn't sound thrilled. He lifted his head from Daine's and looked into the creature's strangely human eyes. It moved its head to the left, and lifted its other hand and made a motion as if to pet him. He laid his head back on Daine's.

"We are definitely hamsters."

---

Well, it was a start, thought Lynoss. The male hadn't flinched away, but he could still sense fear in both of the humans. He would work on it, he decided.

Every day after that, he brought the humans out to pet them. They relaxed, after about three weeks, enough to let go of each other, but each didn't stray too far from the other. The male peered over Lynoss' thumb while the female, still close enough to touch her mate, looked into his eyes. With his left hand, he stroked the soft fur on the top of her head. She shook him off, and crept back in the male's arms.

Lynoss put them away for the day, amused when, after putting a wheel in for them, the male completely missed the point and laid down in it. The female looked amused as well.

---

"It's a _wheel_, Numair," Daine giggled. "You don't _sleep_ in it, you _run_ in it!"

"I'm not sinking that low," he commented with a small smirk. He opened one eye, grinned wider, and pulled her in next to him. "It _also_ works as a hammock," he said, stuck one foot out and ended up rocking them both to sleep, curled in each other's arms.

----

Yay! I revised it!

I had a hamster that did that – slept in the wheel rather than run in it. She was so funny… yeah.


	2. Well, it IS a petstore

It was a rather comfortable lifestyle, if very boring, Daine thought. They were still in the wheel, only Numair had long stopped rocking them, as he was asleep. The large rat-thing, at least, kept them entertained most of the time, she reflected and curled a bit closer to Numair.

There was a sudden loud sound of bells. Numair jumped slightly, and looked around sleepily.

"Wha' was that?" he mumbled, still half asleep.

"I don't know," Daine said, also sitting up and glancing through the glass of their cage. She really hated that they were confined, but one got used to such things. Both Daine and Numair glanced at the... thing... that they had gathered was the shopkeeper, and they were surprised to see it walk over past their line of vision.

"Damn cage won't let us see the front of the store..." Numair muttered. Daine chuckled, and he shot her a look. "What's so funny?"

"You," she answered simply, grinning. Then she sighed. "You do have a point, though. I wish we could see past this Goddess-cursed... what is it, anyway?"

"I think it's just the back of the cage, Magelet," he said, nodding to the black back wall. She sighed, but agreed. "I s'pose you're right," she murmured, "but I wish - "

Numair never found out what she wished, but he already had a fair idea. Her sentence was cut off when the black top of their cage was lifted.

Both were expecting the gentle nudge the shopkeeper gave them, urging Daine and Numair out of the wheel. They were not, however, expecting the excited chatter of the smaller, younger looking rat-thing.

---

Lynoss was reluctant to bring out the humans for the little boy. Six was far too young, Lynoss knew, to take care of such fragile pets, but the boy had insisted, so Lynoss has given in. The humans were frightened by the noise that the boy was making, he could tell, as neither got out of the wheel that they had made their bedroom. He gave them a more insistent nudge, and the female slowly got out. The male was quick to follow, but not quickly enough. Gently, Lynoss lifted the female, and only the female.

He realized, in a flash, that neither had been separated since he caught them, and looked worriedly at the male.

Sure enough, the male gave a pitiful cry as he gazed up at first his mate, then Lynoss, then back at his mate. The female too was giving calls. The male quieted soon after the female had made her noises.

"These are the humans you wanted to see," Lynoss told the boy.

"Oooohh!" he squealed, "Can I see?"

"Now wait," Lynoss said, holding the female close to him protectively, "You have to be very gentle with them. They are easily hurt."

"But--"

"Look," Lynoss was sure to keep his voice gentle, so he wouldn't upset the boy. "Humans get very attached to one another - see the other one in the cage? He wants his friend back." He gestured to the male, who was watching the exchange worriedly.

The boy didn't seem to care. "Can I _see_?" he demanded.

Lynoss was liking him less and less, but he carefully handed the female over to him. To his delight, the female didn't squirm, or panic, but gazed calmly up at the boy from his palm. Success! He thought happily. They were perfectly tame!

---

Daine was afraid, but she was aware of Numair's worried yet proud gaze, and that made her braver. She gazed up at the other rat-thing, looked it square in the eyes. She thought it probably wanted only to pet her, as many of the palace children wanted to pet her various friends.

She was very surprised when she felt the sharp jab to her side, easily making her stager and fall. Daine cried out when a second sharp-nailed finger poked into her side.

She gasped again when she felt like she was flying, and realized that she was back in the shopkeeper's grip. Safe... she was safe...

She couldn't stop shaking - it was _scary_ to be hurt by something that could so easily squash her!

---

The male had started his cries again. "Now see here!" Lynoss cried.

"CULPUS!" A girl, much older than the six-year old, swiftly walked in and glared at the boy. "Don't you _dare_ do that again! Mom was ready to _kill_ me!"

Lynoss looked furiously at the girl. "He's your brother?" he asked. He had changed his grip on the female, holding her in such a way so that she could rest her feet on his pinkie, with her arms over his forefinger and thumb. He stroked the top of her head with his other hand reassuringly. She still shook, but slowly relaxed in his grip.

"Yes, yes he is," the girl said. Lynoss vaguely recognized her as the teen that lived four blocks away.

"Well, then, I'll have you know that he may have done permanent damage to one of my humans!"

"Oh!" the girl said, "I'm so sorry!" she glared at the boy, "I'll have you grounded for that..."

"Aw, _Narsa_," the boy said. She glared, and he fell silent. "I'm so sorry," Narsa said, "what did he do?"

Lynoss gave a half-smile. "In reality, he probably only scared the living daylights out of her... she seems fine now. Only, he gave her a rather hard poke in the side," he said, moving his gaze back to the female. She was flinching away from the others, shrinking closer to what she seemed to recognize as safety: Lynoss' grip.

"May I see her?" Narsa asked.

"She's been a bit traumatized... perhaps you would like to see the other...?"

"No, no, I'd like to see this one... see if Culpus did any _lasting_ damage..." she glared at her brother.

"All right... but - but be gentle..." carefully, Lynoss handed the female to the girl, feeling guilty at the sound of the female's terrified squeaks.

The male cried out from his spot in their cage.

---

Numair was completely frantic. What was the shopkeeper doing? Daine had _already_ been hurt - why was he putting her in danger again—! 

---

Daine was utterly disgusted with her show of fear, but she couldn't help it. These creatures were positively huge, and one of them had _definitely_ given her a lasting bruise on her side, but she didn't thing she was any more hurt than that - her ribs didn't feel broken.

She hated how she trembled and cried out when the shopkeeper handed her over, but it couldn't be helped. Daine tried to stop herself from shaking as the larger rat-thing inspected her, and sighed with relief when she felt a gentle hand on her head. The creature murmured softly to her, and she forced herself to relax.

---

Narsa petted the creature for a while, marveling at how soft she was. The human relaxed, and Narsa smiled. "Well, you're a sweet thing," she crooned, "I wonder if Mother will let me buy you..."

Lynoss, the shopkeeper, spoke swiftly, "If you're thinking of buying her, you'll have to buy her mate."

"What? I don't want any more! Only one! I can't have them reproducing!"

"Oh, they won't," Lynoss explained, "see this?" gently, he reached over and caught a bright gold-colored thing around the female's neck. "This stops them. Besides, they don't react well to being apart - can you see the male?"

Narsa peered over at the cage to find the male pressed up against the glass, big black eyes gazing at her. She grinned. "He's sweet," she said, then gently uncovered the cage and set the female into it.

"I'll ask mom if I can buy them."

---

Numair had not been so glad to see Daine in a long time. He pulled her in his arms, shivering along with her and holding her tight. Pressing his lips to Daine's forehead, he murmured, "_Never_ do that to me again. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"It wasn't really my choice," Daine whispered, glad to be safe in his arms again. She nestled closer to him, burying her head in his chest, and sighed when she felt his cheek on her hair.

"Never again," he insisted.


	3. Only One

Narsa sighed and smiled at the two humans. They were sweet... she wondered if they were intelligent enough to feel love. From the looks of it, they were. She turned to Lynoss. "May I see the male?"

"Can we _go_?" Culpus demanded, "this is _boring_!"

"Go find mother," Narsa said.

"But...!"

"Go. Find. Mother."

Culpus went.

Lynoss nodded slowly, and walked over to pick the male up. "No, I can do it..." Narsa said, and gently reached for the male. To her surprise, he growled, glaring at her, and shifted the female closer to himself. After getting over the slight shock of a creature that small trying to threaten her, she smiled and crooned to him, petting his back. He shook his head and buried in the female's fur.

---

"Shhhh, Numair, calm down..." Daine murmured, stroking his shoulder. "That big one won't hurt you, it was gentle with me... shhhh..."

He jerked his head up. "I don't care about _me_," he hissed, gazing in her eyes. "_You're_ the one who was -" he didn't finish the statement, but told her without words by gently, very, very gently, letting his fingers wander over the aching bruise on her side.

Daine smiled. "Yeah, but it's you it wants to pick up..." Daine nodded to the very large finger of the rat that was petting Numair's back.

He just gave her a soft, slightly pained look. You're hurt; I don't want to leave your side, his eyes said. She hugged him.

"Go on, it's all right, Numair... besides, if it doesn't like you, and likes me, then it may not buy you..." These words, while meant to comfort, seemed to have the opposite effect. Numair's face drained of color. Daine realized what she said, and she went white as well. "You don't think that'll happen, do you...?" She asked, horrified at what she said without thinking, and realizing the logic to it. They _were_ pets... She remember something Zek the marmoset told her, suddenly... that he lived with his mate and three children, and then once they were trapped...

She clung to Numair. "No," she whispered, "no, it won't happen - I won't let it."

"Neither," Numair said, just as fiercely, "will I."

The rat's fingers squeezed between them, and managed to pry them apart. Both tried to get back to the other - there was a flash of black fire as Numair tried to shoot a spell, but nothing happened. The creature picked him up.

---

Both of them were squeaking like mad, and Narsa tried to calm the male. "Quiet," she soothed, "quiet, quiet."

At the sound of her voice, he did stop squeaking, only to turn and look her in the eyes. They gazed at each other, and Narsa realized that his eyes were glazed with fear. She stroked him, trying to calm him, but he shook his head. To her surprise, he waved his arms down at the cage with his mate in it, and she understood. She looked over, and found his mate pressed up against the glass, big blue eyes watching Narsa as well as her mate.

"Whoever said you're stupid is a moron," she said, "you want your mate, don't you?" he obviously didn't understand, but he was giving her a look she couldn't read. Suddenly she threw all caution to the wind.

Forget about what Mother says, she thought, I'm buying them. _Both_ of them, with my allowance. She fished in her pocket, and came up with forty Vias. As she fished, the male wobbled unsteadily on her other hand.

"How much are they?" Narsa asked.

---

Daine was worried.

The larger rat, the one holding Numair, had fished around in its pocket. It had brought up three star-shaped things, that looked like coins. Nervously, she looked over at Numair, who was peering over the creature's thumb. They exchanged glances, and Numair seemed to read her fear off her eyes, for his own eyes rounded, and he looked at the creature.

Shifting her weight, she looked up at the great creature as well.

---

"They?" Lynoss was confused. "Both of them, together?" He wouldn't get his hopes up. He wanted to keep the humans together, and if this girl... young woman, really, she was very close to his age... anyway, if she would buy both of them...

That would just be too good to be true. He decided to encourage her.

"Twenty Vias each, but a discount if you buy the two of them... both of them for thirty."

The girl grinned. "How much for the cages?"

"If you'll buy both of them, I'll throw in the cages for free," Lynoss said urgently. "I really want to keep them together, you see," he told her softly, "it would be...cruel to separate them."

The girl nodded. "I know. I'm going to buy both, here - thirty -"

"NARSA!" A woman, clothed in thick, heavy furs walked into the store. "What are you doing? Have you gotten your father's or my permission to buy that... that creature?"

Lynoss nearly bit his lip in worry for his humans.

"No," Narsa said, petting the male, "but I was planning to take care of them by myself!"

"You didn't take care of your last pet, young lady."

"I WAS FIVE!"

"Very well. What were you planning on buying?"

"These humans," she said, showing her mother the male. He wavered unsteadily on her moving hand, and looked back to the cage with his mate in it. Lynoss saw his mate give him what looked almost like an encouraging smile.

"Both of them?"

"Ye-es..." she elongated the word nervously.

"No. You are only allowed to get one of them."

"One! But - "

"Now, young lady. Choose one."

Lynoss decided to intervene. "Um, excuse me, ma'am, but these creatures are highly social. It would be a bad idea to get only one..."

The girl's mother huffed. "Narsa must then learn to care for only one. The one she chooses can be 'social' with her."

Lynoss decided that he didn't like this woman. "But -"

Her glare shut him up, and Lynoss watched sadly as Narsa placed the male back in the cage, and lifted the female. She purchased a cage, some food, some toys and extra fur for her new human, and walked out of the store with her new pet.

The male gave an anguished cry.


	4. Different Places

He wouldn't eat.

Lynoss was worried. The female had been gone for two full days and the male had only eaten a few bites since. He snapped and snarled at Lynoss, and it seemed that the docile human he had been was gone. The male would somehow create a black-colored smoke, sometimes, but Lynoss didn't know what that was. But he would barely eat. Lynoss had given him nuts and berries and dried fruit, but he refused it, nearly all of it. The male would starve himself, at this rate.

Lynoss was very, very worried.

---

Numair glared tiredly at the rat. The huge pet shopkeeper gave him a sad look in return, and offered him a nut. He did the only thing that this rat- faced creature could understand; he growled. The rat sighed and left the nut by his side. Numair pushed it away. He wasn't hungry.

Before Daine had been sold, things had been – relatively – bearable. When he was in that place between wakefulness and sleep, those days, and had her curled safe in his arms, he would even go as far as to say he was content. During the regular hours, yes, they had been bored out of their minds, but they could at least talk to each other, joke about the rat-thing that held them captive, and try to figure out a way to go home.

Now he had no one to talk to, no one to joke with. And he would never forgive himself if he left Daine here. He sighed, got up, and headed towards the wheel, where he still slept. He curled in a small ball and closed his eyes, hoping for sleep.

He was too tired to try any spells. That's because you've hardly eaten, his mind whispered.

He sighed, and drifted off into a lonely sleep.

---

Narsa had set up the cage, two days ago, on the shelf in her loft bed. The human was with her, high above the ground, safe from Culpus. He knew what was good for him; he wouldn't come up here.

But she was worried. The female hardly ate. She would glare at Narsa during the day, refuse to be picked up. The female was much different that she had been in the store. Narsa supposed that it was the separation. She sighed when she realized this, one day after she had bought her pet, and gazed at the human. "I'll call you Solsha, because the route-word is 'Solus,' which is alone, in the old language," Narsa whispered.

Oddly enough, the female seemed to understand. She looked at Narsa, heaved something that looked remarkably like a sigh, and then tried to curl up in the wheel, and failed with a yelp, because, unlike the one in the pet store, it was a wire wheel, and probably rather uncomfortable. Narsa smiled gently, and offered her hand. Her pet just glared and started to make herself a nest in the farthest corner. Hurt, Narsa lay back in her bed, and watched. The female had paused for a moment, and let out what sounded like a choked up sob before continuing to create a bed for herself.

Now, two days later, the female did nothing but pace. Back and forth, like the caged animal that she was. Narsa sighed, and offered her hand again. The female paused, glared, then continued with her route. Back and forth. Back and forth.

"You miss him, don't you?" Narsa sighed.

The human froze.

---

Loud and clear, in her head just like any other animal, came the words "You miss him, don't you?" Daine stared, in shock. She heard it! Out of habit, she turned for Numair, but he was not there. With a heavy heart, she turned back to the creature and said the way she spoke to the animals back at home: Yes, I miss him very much, but I also hate being caged. With him around, I could speak to someone, take my mind off of it. But now I'm alone. Why couldn't I speak to you before? She looked hopefully at the creature.

The creature blinked, and started chattering, out loud. Daine could not understand a word of it. I can't understand you! she shouted, but it was in vain. The connection was ebbing. Wait! Come back...

---

Narsa gaped, as Solsha spoke in her mind. She was sure it was Solsha. Who else could it be?

"You can talk? " she cried, "You can _talk_! Now I can convince Mother to get your mate! You can _talk_! Say something else!"

She listened with all her might, but there was only a faint, frantic word of 'Waaaaaaaiiiiiiit' that faded slowly, till it died. Confused, Narsa looked back at the creature. "Wait for what?" she asked.

No answer.

Narsa frowned. She could see Solsha trying to re-make whatever connection that they had, but she couldn't feel it.

Feel it? That's it!

Narsa tried to reach the creature through her mind. Then she heard the softly echoing words, C'mon, c'mon, please work! Can you hear me? Narsa grinned triumphantly, and spoke out loud, trying to make Solsha understand.

"Yes!" she whisper-cried, and Solsha bared her teeth: a grin.

Excellent! You can seriously understand me?

"I wouldn't've said yes if I didn't mean it."

Good point.

"How is it that I can understand you?" Narsa's head was starting to ache.

The answer was spoken quickly: I have Wild Magic. I can talk to any vertebrates—that is, creatures with a backbone. My question is, why couldn't I talk to you sooner? Why couldn't I talk to the shopkeeper?

Narsa frowned, thinking. "I don't know," she said, "Perhaps this 'magic' of yours doesn't work like you think it does."

Yes, I know that. I've had a few nasty surprises. There was a smile in her voice.

"May I pick you up?" Narsa asked, shyly.

I suppose. We need to talk about this more, though. What's your name? We ought to know each other's names. Mine's Daine.

"N-Narsa," Narsa said, taken aback. "Da-ain. Ain. D..." she tried to say Daine's name, but she could only come out with fractions of it. "I'm sorry! I can't pronounce it!"

That's all right, Daine said, smiling, and climbing on Narsa's hand. You can just call me Ain, I suppose.

Daine herself was trying, and failing, to pronounce Narsa's name. The 'N' was more like an 'M,' somehow, and the first 'A' was a mixture between an 'A' and an 'O.' The last 'A' was more like an 'E.' "Mn...ao...rs...ae," Daine said, blinking, knowing that wasn't right. Narsa collapsed into giggles, and lifted her pet before her face.

"That's all right. You can call me Rsae," She giggled.

Daine laughed. I'll stick to Narsa, she said, I know what it's supposed to sound like, I just can't do it. I can pronounce it in my head, though.

Narsa grinned. "All right. Well... about your magic."

Right, we should get back to that. Daine sighed.

"What's wrong?"

Numair knows more about magic than I do. He's studied it, she said, please, if you could, could you find a way to...?

"I wanted to buy him," Narsa said fiercely, "but Mother said no. It was cruel to separate you, but I know what's good for me, and Mother can be downright nasty if you disobey her. I'm sorry, Ain."

Daine sighed, but nodded. I understand. I just miss him, that's all.

Narsa thought for a moment. It was hard to think; she was getting a headache from all of this mind-to-mind stuff. "Listen," she said, "can we stop this...this...just talking, for a bit? I'm getting a headache."

Oh! Of course, I'm sorry. Daine smiled. I used to get headaches, too. You'll get used to it.

Narsa smiled. "Thanks. But I'll talk to you later, though. Tonight. We'll go out, when it's dark, and buy Mn-umn-aur before Mother can stop me."

Daine's eyes got wide, and, although Narsa had severed the connection, she managed to convey her thanks by hugging her thumb. Narsa smiled, and petted the fur on Daine's head, nursing her headache.


	5. Lots to Tell

The sun had long set. Numair gazed gloomily out of the glass of his cage, bored and lonely. With a heavy heart, he got up off the wheel and tapped on the glass. The top of his cage lifted, and he looked into the eyes of the shopkeeper, who offered his hand. Numair climbed on, but only because he badly needed something to do, to take his mind off his loneliness.

The rat- creature lifted him gently and as if sensing his distress, it lifted Numair up to its eye level and crooned gently in the strange language of its. Numair curled in a small ball. If he was the pet here, he reasoned he might as well act like one. The shopkeeper stroked his back, as one would a sleeping hamster. Numair just closed his eyes, finally letting the tears fall.

---

Poor creature.

Lynoss hugged the human close, trying to offer comfort, but failed rather miserably. So, he just petted the male soothingly and crooned reassurances. Poor fellow. He knew that he shouldn't've sold the female. Lynoss wondered how she was faring.

The male's whimpering abated, eventually, and Lynoss decided to take him out, let him see fresh air. He slipped the creature into his front breast pocket, and gave a chuckle when the human popped his head over the lip of the cloth the pocket was made of. The creature swiped at its streaming eyes, and looked up at Lynoss, and his heart cried at the look of distrust.

Well, of course it would not trust me, he thought, I just sold his mate.

He gave the human a pat for good measure, and strode outside, only to take a walk.

---

It certainly took his mind off Daine.

Numair looked around, fascinated with the creature's town, if it could be called that. The sun had set, but there was still a bit of twilight to see by. Numair wondered how advanced these creatures were, technologically. They looked very advanced, even more so than Tortall, which was very advanced, for the time. Shiny metal things littered the seemingly solid stone street. He looked around, wishing he could ask the creature its name, and how all of this ran.

---

Narsa climbed the ladder to her loft bed, and gently tapped the glass of Ain's cage. The human was there in a second, doing that strange thing with her teeth that was apparently a grin. Narsa chuckled, and tried to reach Ain with her mind. "You ready?" she asked.

Ready as I'll ever be. How will we do this?

"We're going to sneak out," Narsa explained in a hushed whisper, "go to the store, and buy Mn-um-au..." her voice faded, and she blinked while Daine laughed at her sheer inability to pronounce her lover's name. Narsa glared and Daine smirked, but she continued, "Anyway we'll buy him before my mother can notice. I'll keep him in the same cage as you, all right?"

Of coarse! I've been living with him for ages at him, anyway.

"Just, um, one condition," Narsa shifted her weight uncomfortably.

Yes...

"Mother didn't want me to get both of you, because she didn't want you to, um..."

Reproduce. There was amusement in Ain's voice. I give you my word that nothing of the sort will happen, she smirked. I swear. That, and this prevents it. She waved something from a golden chain around her neck, looked at it, and turned faintly red. Narsa grinned.

"All right, good. Glad that's settled." Narsa lifted Ain and plopped her in her breast pocket.

---

Daine gave a small shriek when she was lifted so swiftly and without warning.

Hey, she cried, indignant, You can at least warn a girl!

Narsa chuckled, and crept out of her window. Daine gave a gasp of surprise. What with Narsa's extreme height and the height of the house that she lived in, this was almost like flying on the back of Wingstar, again... except for the fact that she was in a pocket. Daine ducked slightly so she was further inside of Narsa's pocket.

Narsa jumped to the ground and landed with a thump that jarred even Daine.

"Are you all right?" she whispered, tucking three of the star-shaped coins in the same pocket as Daine. "Hold onto those. That's how we'll buy Nm-au- ar."

Daine snorted, now knowing what Cloud felt like when talking to her. I'm fine. This is your kind of money?

"Yeah." Narsa said, and started walking.

It was a very fast walk.

---

Numair stole a glance ahead. The wind from the large creature's swift gait whipped his face, but he didn't care. Squinting, he was just able to make out a shape coming towards them. He blinked in surprise when it leaped into the bushes. The shopkeeper stopped walking, and looked at the bush. Numair did as well. It looked at Numair, who looked at it, and back at the bush. The shopkeeper shrugged (Numair could feel it) and trotted up to the bush in question, pushed aside the branches with one hand, while keeping Numair in place with the other.

There was another rat in the bushes, but there was something else, as well. Numair saw its pocket squirm, and looked in surprise as another face popped up from the pocket, a face he knew better than his own.

"DAINE!"

---

Narsa had leaped into the bushes when she saw the approaching person, and had nearly had a heart attack when he pushed the branches aside. Her heart practically exploded with surprise when she heard Ain's name pronounced properly, in a small voice, coming from a pocket of the man pushing the bush aside.

She heard Ain's answering cry of her mate's odd sounding name, and felt Ain's joy through that strange connection they had.

"Excuse me?"

Narsa looked in surprise into the shopkeeper's face. What was his name? Lynoss, that was it.

"You're the one that bought the female, aren't you?" he said, looking Narsa in the eye.

"Yes, yes I am. I was going to buy the male, as well. I was on my way."

Lynoss helped her out of the bush and smiled airily. "Not really going to find him in a bush, are you?" he joked, gently lifting the male from his pocket and offering him to Narsa. "Here, take him. He'll be happier with his mate." Narsa grinned and lifted him from Lynoss' hand, chuckling when he tried to race down her arm. She heard Ain laugh as well, and tried to make a connection.

She was very startled with what she got. She understood them, both of them!

---

"Calm down, Numair," Daine laughed, a smile on her face as she watched Numair trying—rather clumsily—to get to her.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN? I thought I'd never _see_ you again! And you tell me to _calm down_?" he did, though, sat back on his heels and grinned at her from Narsa's hand.

Daine laughed. "All right, all right, I see your point, I'm going to have a smile stuck on my face for ages, as well." She grinned wider, till her cheeks ached,and he chuckled, content just to gaze at her. "Hang on," she said, and frowned up at Narsa.

---

Narsa was astonished with this new development. She could understand _both_ of the humans! She calmed herself, though, and ignored Ain's call for the moment, taking care to thank Lynoss and attempt to pay him.

"Nonsense!" he said, "He's for free. You overpaid for the cage, anyway, if I remember correctly."

"We did?" Narsa asked, startled.

"Yes. I was angry; you did not buy both of them."

"Isn't that illegal, or something?"

"Not that I know of." Lynoss grinned at her, and she grinned back.

"I'll bring them back to visit, I promise," she said, smiling, and was gratified to see Lynoss' face light up.

"Really? I have to say, I've grown rather fond of them."

Narsa smiled back. "So have I. Or, at least I've grown fond of Ain, over here."

"Ain? That's an odd name."

Narsa shrugged uneasily, not wanting to tell of her ability to talk to Ain. "So it is. I think it fits, though. Thank you, shopkeeper Lynoss." She said. He inclined his head politely, and she left.

NARSA! Daine's insistent voice sounded in her head.

"Look," she murmured back, "I'm sorry, I had to thank him!"

You didn't have to take so long about it, she grumbled. Then there was an under-thought to that, Gah! I'm starting to sound like Cloud...

"Who's...?"

Never mind. Can you just put Numair with me? He's getting worried... and a bit cold, from the looks of things, Ain chuckled. Narsa stopped walking, and realized that Ain was right. She had been holding Mn-aur in her hand, and the small breeze of the night must be magnified for him, because he was so small.

"Sorry," she told him apologetically, although he didn't seem to understand. She slipped him into her pocket.

---

Numair tumbled gracelessly next to Daine. She chuckled, and he looked at her and glared, then laughed along with her. Daine curled herself close to him, and he held her tight.

"Mft, you're cold," she murmured, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"You're warm," he responded, holding her closer. "Ah, I missed you, Magelet," he sighed and laid his head on hers.

"Missed you too," she said softly, then looked up. "And I've got a lot to tell you."

"Such as?" he asked, kissing her softly. They were immediately jostled by Narsa.

"Keep it clean!" she muttered to Daine. Daine jerked free of Numair (to his disappointment) and glared. I know, I know. We weren't _doing_ anything wrong!

Narsa just glared, then kept walking.

Numair pulled Daine back into his arms. "One of the things you have to tell me?" he asked with a grin.

She smirked. "Yup."


	6. Figuring It Out

Daine's explanation of what had happened – her ability to speak to Narsa, that is – was cut short by a loud screech.

Narsa stopped short, throwing Daine and Numair against the front side of her pocket.

"That'll take some getting used to," Numair muttered, and Daine smirked. "Any idea why we stopped?" Numair asked her.

Daine frowned and said, "I'll ask –"

"Oh, no! It's my mother!" Narsa hissed, interrupting Daine. Daine's eyes went wide, as she translated to Numair. He bit his lip. Daine shoved him down, and sat on his back, so her head popped up over the pocket and he remained below, hidden. Numair gave an "oomph!" of protest, but Daine ignored it.

"Tell Mn-aur to hide!" Narsa hissed to Daine.

Already did, she answered smugly, snickering affectionately at Numair's grunts of protest.

---

Narsa took Ain's word, and stood up a little straighter as her mother approached.

"How _dare_ you run away, Narsa," her mother snarled, grabbing her by her floppy ear and dragging her back to the house. "Out to see a _boy_, aren't you, you little trouble-maker?"

So to speak, Narsa thought dryly, remembering how she was going to get Mn-aur, and heard Ain's mental laughter. Her mother tugged harder.

"Ow!" she cried, "No, no, mother! I went out to take Ain for a walk, honest!"

"You did, did you? Humans don't need _walks_, you little liar!" and with that, her mother tugged harder, and Narsa nearly fell onto her humans.

"No, no! Look, I have proof!" As carefully as she could, she took Ain out of her pocket. Lucky those bruises your brother gave me healed, already, Ain told Narsa, and Narsa silently agreed. She felt Mn-aur squirm in her pocket; he wasobviously uncomfortable without his mate. Narsa held her human, showing her to her mother. "See? I only took her for a walk – some fresh air, she gets bored in her –"

"IRRESPONSIBLE!" her mother roared, making both Ain and Mn-aur jump.

No offense, Narsa, but I really don't like your Ma, Ain said, sounding afraid. Narsa held her protectively. "You're scaring her, Mother!"

"I should be scaring _you_ young lady, not your pet! You treat it as if it's got feelings, it's JUST AN ANIMAL!"

I resent that, Ain said dryly, listening into Narsa's mind to translate what her mother said.

"How d'you _know_?" Narsa demanded, "how d'you know she's not more intelligent than you think?"

"Their only purpose is to feed the snakes, that's it. They're no smarter than the minks that made my coat! You must _learn_ this Narsa, that's why I punish you. You must learn that your life – sleeping, eating, et cetera – comes before that of an animal's pleasure! Those humans have a brain the size of your thumbnail!"

Narsa was shocked still, and through her, Ain. was her mother right? Did they really not warrent her attention?Without speaking, she slipped Ain back into her front breast pocket, on top of Mn-aur, and didn't hear his "oomph." She didn't hear Daine's mind calling out to her as she said, "Yes, mother," and meant it.

---

Narsa confessed to buying Numair.

He was put into a separate cage, next to Daine's.

Narsa's mind was closed.

And as Daine explained to Numair what had happened, their hands both reaching through the bars of their cages and clasping the other's, Numair figured it out.

Narsa didn't have Wild Magic.

Daine's Wild Magic still worked.

As humans were not the dominant species in this world, Daine could talk to all creatures lesser in intelligence than she was. However, in the dominant species' case, she could only talk to them if they accepted her as something of an equal.

And Narsa, who agreed with her mother, now, clearly didn't. Lynoss, the shopkeeper, also thought of them as animals.

"Then," Daine said, after Numair had shared his theory, "then the younger the rat is, and the less anyone's drilled into them that we're not equals, the more of a chance I'll have in speaking to them."

"Exactly," Numair said, caressing her knuckles with his thumb. "So, that only leaves one option, only one more rat can help us." His voice was pained.

Daine looked at him through the bars of her cage and his. Her eyes got wide. "Culpus! The one who bruised me! Narsa's little brother?"

Numair smiled, and pulled her hand through the bars of his cage, so he could kiss her palm. "The next time someone says that you've got a brain the size of their thumbnail, I shall bite them."

Daine chuckled, and stroked his cheek.

"Don't bother, I'll do it."

Numair smiled sadly at her, and looked down at her hand, gently tickling her palm. "I wish we were in the same cage."

"So do I," Daine sighed. "I s'pose this is better'n nothing, though. At least we can talk."

"At the very least," Numair agreed softly.

---

Narsa climbed up into her loft bed, and gazed at her humans. It had been three weeks since her mother's chat with her, and she hadn't heard Ain and Mn-aur since. They were animals, then, no more intelligent than the dogs next door, andtheir speaking-to-her was just her imagination.

But they couldn't be. They had stretched one their arms through the bars of their cages so their paws could intertwine. What kind of animal did that?

Confused, she watched them chatter to each other, unable to understand them.

---

BACK AT TORTALL...

Skysong was worried.

Her Ma and Numair had gone missing. She had looked for them, and found that Cloud and Spots were still here, and that Tkaa hadn't seen them.

Carefully, she walked into Numair's workroom. She knew his experiments were dangerous – her Ma had explained this to her many times, so she tended not to interfere.

There were black char-marks everywhere. Had his experiment exploded, and killed them both? She hoped not – she had already lost her trueblood Ma.

No. She didn't smell death. She smelt a spell, and a strong one at that.

Skysong sat up in Numair's chair, and gaped at what she saw.

The entire table was covered in a huge, bronze, star-shaped coin.


	7. Via

They were bored. Daine and Numair sat side-by-side, with the bars of their cages separating them, staring at the wall in front of them. They had long run out of things to talk about, so they now just sat.

"I need to do something," Daine muttered, "I'm going insane."

"I'm already gone," Numair muttered dryly, and Daine got up, suddenly having an idea. "Magelet?" he asked, then blinked in surprise when Daine shape-shifted into a small bird and tried to get through the bars of her cage. He had not thought of that.

Numair watched as she whizzed around Narsa's room for a while, then zipped back into her cage, grabbed her clothes, and then went into his cage. She changed back and put on her tunic and pants.

"The door and the window are closed," she explained, walking over to sit next to him. He arched an eyebrow in a silent question.

"Well, it was worth a try!" she snapped. He smiled gently and put an arm around her.

"It's nice to be together, again," he whispered, changing the subject.

She sighed in agreement, and leaned into his side, nuzzling her face into the crook of his arm.

They were silent.

"So," Daine said, breaking the silence, "any idea on how to get home?"

"You asked me that ten minutes ago, and the answer is still no," Numair sighed.

The door to Narsa's room opened, and, panicking, Daine gave Numair a quick kiss on his cheek, shape shifted and fled back to her cage.

---

Culpus snickered softly as he walked into Narsa's room. He'd show her for breaking his video game! Quietly, he climbed the stairs of Narsa's loft bed. When he crawled up into his sister's bed, his eyes locked with those of her pet humans'. He grinned. That was the one he'd played with in the store.

Excellent. He would move it into the other cage. They'd mate and Narsa would soon have too many humans to count, and, knowing her, she'd want to keep them all. Mother would be furious at her.

Culpus opened the cage and reached down for the human. He didn't know if it was Ain or Mn-aur – who could tell the difference, anyway? They were just animals.

---

Numair had gasped in fear when he saw Culpus reach for Daine. He remembered what the rat had done to her last time, and prayed that the rat wouldn't hurt her again. He heard Daine give a soft squeak, but then she frowned, concentrating. Numair closed his eyes, hoping that the rat would hear his Magelet.

---

Culpus lifted the human from her cage and dropped it into the other's cage. Smirking at his success, he walked from the room, not realizing that he had accidentally dropped the coin that was in his sleeve into the cage.

---

Daine fell from the top of the cage with a shriek, followed by a huge metal something. Gasping, Numair reached out with his Gift and snatched her from the air before the metal thing could squish her. He jerked her into his arms.

"I thought," he growled into her ear, "I told you to never do that again!"

"Do what?" she sounded dazed.

"Get snatched up by a rat, that's what!"

"I couldn't help it!" she said angrily. He held her close.

"Magelet, you nearly scared me out of my skin!"

"I said before, I couldn't help it!"

Numair sighed, and cuddled her close, assuring himself that she was in one peace. Daine closed her eyes and shivered. Numair held her comfortingly as their heart rates slowed, then looked down at her. "I don't suppose that he answered you?"

Daine gave him a flat look. "Yes, Numair, I asked him to drop me."

Numair gave a sheepish smile. "Just making sure." He hugged her tighter for a moment then released her and walked over to the metal thing that Culpus had dropped. Daine followed.

It was one of the rats' odd, star-shaped coins. Daine opened her mouth to tell Numair so, when he exclaimed, "Mithros, Mynoss and Shakith! It's a Via!"

Daine blinked. "A what?"

"It's a _Via_, a road!"

"A road?"

Numair circled the coin. "It's what I was working on when we got here – or, a similar version of it, anyway. See, look." He pointed to one of the four points of the star. "It has all the different directions – North, south," he pointed to another point, "east," he pointed, "and west."

"And this helps us how...?"

Numair shook his head. "Help me get it upright."

Daine gave him a questioning look. He sighed.

"It's written in Old Thak – or something like it, anyway. The markings on the side of the points say two different things: the direction on the compass, and... the direction in general. Help me set it up and I'll show you."

Numair looked at the markings for a while, then, with Daine's help he pushed it up so that one of the points dug into the wood chips on the bottom of the cage. Upright, it was a little smaller than Daine. "Look," Numair said and pointed to the point on the left, "this one says 'sunrise,'" he pointed tothe one on the right, "this one 'sunset'" the one on the bottom, "this one says below, and the top one says--"

"Above," Daine guessed, and Numair beamed at her.

"Exactly. If we do it right, we can use the 'above' point to guide us away. Because, In old Thak, 'above' and 'away' are the same word."

Daine stared at him, then rushed into his arms. "We're going to go home!" she cried, laughing up at him. He grinned back and buried his head in Daine's hair.

"Back to Tortall, where we belong," he said, now grinning, "and we'll get to see everyone again! What a tale we'll have to tell them!"

She laughed. "Think they'll believe us?"

"Not likely," he grinned.

She laid her head on his chest, and closed her eyes. She said wistfully, "We'll see Cloud and Kitten and Ouna and Alanna again, and George and Evin and Miri and -"

"Classes," Numair groaned, and Daine laughed. She kissed his nose. "I think it's worth it," she said.

Numair grinned back. "A small price to pay," he said mock-dramatically, and Daine playfully hit his arm.

---

IN TORTALL:

Kitten stared at the star-shaped thing, realizing after a moment of thought it was what Tkaa had told her about a while ago – a Via. A road. She leaped up onto it, trotted over to the "Away" point, and gave a loud trill – a command spell that Grandda Dimondflame had taught her.

WHERE IS MY MA! she demanded of the Via, and it glowed brightly. The Draconian words "where is my Ma" echoed around the room, then translated into Human language, somehow. Kitten stared.

---

THE PLACE OF THE RATS:

Daine was still rapped up in Numair's arms when the Via suddenly glowed brightly. They both stared at it, when they suddenly heard a sound, like a dragon's trilling. Then the trilling translated into Common: "WHERE IS MY MA!"

They stared at each other, both recognizing the trillingvoice before it had been translated.

"Kitten!"


	8. Home Sweet Home

"Kitten!" Daine cried back into the Via, hoping that she would hear.

"Try again," Numair said urgently, placing one hand on the nape of Daine's neck, and the other on the upright Via. He whispered a soft spell.

"KITTEN!" Daine's voice echoed briefly, and the Via glowed. They both waited, holding their breath. The Via glowed again, and trills came through. Then the trills translated: "Ma? Numair? Come home!"

They stared at each other.

"How?" Daine breathed, gazing at Numair. Numair placed his hand on the Via, and looked like he was concentrating.

"Kitten," he said slowly, thinking, "When you follow Daine – you use a teleportation spell, right?"

---

Kitten listened to Numair as he spoke, answering that yes, she did teleport. She had no idea how this related, though, and told Numair so, through the Via. It was nice for them to understand her for once.

His annoyed voice came back through the star-shaped-coin. "I'm asking you to do sort of a backward spell. I want you to focus on your Ma and I and with your magic will us home. I'll do the rest."

Kitten was confused, but agreed to do it.

---

"Wait," Daine said, "Numair, what on earth are you talking about?"

"Kitten'll guide us," he said excitedly, "I'll channel my magic through the Via and to Kitten, and she'll be able to guide us home."

"I thought you said you'd need time to think about it."

"I hadn't thought we'd find ourselves someone to guide us home." He rapped his arms about Daine, smiling. "Ready?"

She gulped, but nodded.

Numair touched the Via. "Kit, now!" he cried.

---

Kitten gasped slightly, and focused her magic onto her Ma and Numair, and, with her mind, MADE them come home, just as she had taught herself to MAKE herself appear in other places.

---

Narsa walked into her room to find a blinding light coming from the top of her bed. Panicking, she nearly ran up her ladder and just barley glimpsed Ain and Mn-aur before they vanished.

She stared, wondering what on earth just happened. Then she sighed, and went to see the shopkeeper, Lynoss. He would want to know what had become of his humans.

---

It was nothing like how they got there, Daine thought. Everything had gone black, and Daine couldn't see anything. She felt Numair's arms around her, and felt herself clutching his chest, and he squeezing her back, but nothing else. There was no wind. There was no noise. There was no pressure. There was simply nothing, and yet fear compelled her to hold Numair as close as possible, so she wouldn't loose him, or herself, into the nothingness.

It was horrible.

And then there was something.

The nothingness began to fade, and Numair's lab began to slip into view. Kitten was standing on a Via on the table, glowing bright yellow.

They were home...

Then there was a thud, then a shake, and the lab began to disappear. Numair cried out a "No!" but nothing happened. Their cage, in Narsa's room began to appear again.

And, in her terror, Daine had an idea.

It was like shape shifting, only different. When she shape shifted, she changed herself. What if, instead of changing herself, she changed her surroundings? There was nothing else to try. Desperate, and the cage coming into view, Daine closed her eyes.

She remembered the dusty smell of Numair's books in his lab, the way it stunk after something exploded, how it was so cluttered, and the way his chair was falling apart...

Numair felt his control of where they were going slip, and he very nearly panicked until the lab came back into view. He stared at Daine, whose eyes were closed, and felt a sense of awe. Could Wild Magic even to that...?

The lab sharpened and became more and more real, until they were standing, solid and whole. Daine collapsed against his cheat, gasping.

"Daine! You did it!" Numair cried, lifting her up and spinning her. She laughed happily, albeit tiredly. "How?" he demanded, putting her down, "How did you do it?"

Daine opened her mouth to explain, but found out she couldn't. She had forgotten. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she thought she heard a voice

-Sorry, m'friend, but I can't be letten' you do tha' again. S' just a mem'ry mod'o'f'cation spell. You won' be worse fer the wear...-

---

The Guardian of the Barriers sighed in relief. They were back. It could close the Barrier again. It had had words with the one who teleported – and took away her power to do so. Sheepishly, it went to go tell Mithros. The head god would be _so_ angry that something had gotten out... and then back in again! First the barrier between the Realms of the Gods and the Mortal broke (the barrier wasn't even god-made, it wasn't the Guardian's FAULT!), now the barrier between planets malfunctioned...

Hoo, boy, the Guardian was in trouble...

---

"I—" Daine began, but she was interrupted by a thud.

"Stupid pages," Numair grumbled. He grinned briefly at Daine, and kissed her swiftly, then walked over to see what the pages were doing.

Numair followed the thumping and thudding and found the girl page had gotten into a fight. Sighing, he used a small amount of his fading Gift to force them to stop – making their arms and legs heavy until they couldn't move.

"Such animosity will not do," he said, "you've managed to -" he paused for a very swift moment, so small, that he doubted that the pages noticed, in which he came up with a half-true story. "-Affect my current working; if it were to go astray..." he shuddered lightly to himself, but, again, he doubted the pages noticed. "Except it's not going to, because you are going to drop this and go do whatever it is pages are supposed to do at this time of night." He really hoped it was night - it was dark in the passageway, though. "Run along, please."

They didn't move.

He did not have the patience for this – he had to go make sure Daine was okay! Numair frowned.

One of the pages croaked, "Spell."

Numair was baffled for a moment. "Spell?" Then he very nearly banged his head on a wall. "Oh, yes, of course. How careless." He called his Gift back. "_Now_ you may go."

He turned to leave, hearing the girl ask if he would report them. Numair just shook his head to himself, then went back to find Daine grinning up at him, hugging Kitten. He smiled, and kissed her over Kitten's back.

"Where was I?" he asked, smiling, thumbs stroking her cheeks. Daine grinned at him.

"I don't care. I'm tired; you're tired. We're sleeping." She placed Kitten on the floor, grabbed his hand and led him like a pony on a lead rope to the bed, where she collapsed and fell asleep as soon as she landed.

Numair joined her soon after, although he did take his boots off.

Shakith, he thought as he faded into sleep, have we got something to tell the king when we wake up...

As Numair fell asleep, Kitten huffed – he hadn't even thanked her!

Men, she thought in annoyance as she curled up at Daine and Numair's feet.

THE END

---

Ha! It's finished AND revised! Yay!

And yes, I realize that I didn't change much, but I like the story as it is. I just wanted to clean up the typos. Soooo... yeah.


End file.
